Thank you for the response to the first chapter. It's great to have you on this ride with me. Thanks go to Snowecat, who was the first person to read this chapter.
1. Waking Up Home
Peter woke at some point in the early hours of the morning in Morgan's bedroom and found that she'd moved to her favorite sleeping position: burrowed into his chest with her head under his chin, Spider-Albert trapped between them.
He wrapped his arm around her a little tighter and murmured, "Love you, Mo," and she mumbled in response.
He drifted off to sleep again, content to be in the time he belonged with the people he loved.
When he woke again, it was because he could feel eyes on him. He opened his own and saw Tony and Pepper perched on the edge of the bed.
He smiled contentedly at them. "Morning."
"Morning, honey," Pepper said softly. "Welcome home."
Peter smiled, feeling warmed by the words. He was home at last. "Thanks, Mom."
"It's good to have you home," Tony added. "And it's good to see those colors in your eyes again and know they're here to stay."
"It's thanks to you," Peter said sincerely.
Power stirred in his mind, voice bitter as he said, "Yeah, like he had anything to do with it."
"Enough!" Space snapped. "You know that's not true."
"They did everything they could and more," Mind added.
"And yet it was the kid that came through for himself in the end."
"Can it, Power," Soul said, making Peter snort.
"Stones chatting?" Tony asked.
"Oh, yeah," Peter said expansively.
"I didn't miss that," Tony said. "How Vision handled them for so long I don't know." Peter opened his mouth to answer, and Tony held up a finger. "They're not all that bad, but Power is bad enough for all of them."
Peter laughed. "Maybe."
"Does she know you're here?" Pepper asked, stroking Morgan's back.
"I don't think so. She just cuddled up in the night."
"You should wake her," Tony said with an eager grin. "You can't do it without us here. We've got to see this reunion."
Peter glanced at the time on Morgan's Angelina Ballerina clock and decided it was late enough to wake her. He stroked her cheek and said, "Morning, Mo."
She mumbled and pulled a face.
Peter laughed and carried on stroking her cheek. "If you wake up, I'll make butterflies…"
Morgan opened her eyes and stared at him for a moment, brows high, and then she screeched loud enough to hurt Peter's sensitive ears and threw herself on him.
"You're home!" she cried. "You came home!"
Peter laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "I came home. I missed you so much, I had to come."
Morgan laughed and began smattering his face with kisses. Peter laughed, too, as she smacked his cheeks, nose, brow, and chin with kisses.
Tony and Pepper were smiling fondly as they watched, and Peter knew this was a big moment for them. They'd always had faith he would be Worthy, that he'd live, but his doubt had undoubtably crept in on them. But they were here now, Peter was alive, and he was reuniting with Morgan after what was weeks for her and months of pain and slow healing at the bottom of a cliff for him.
Morgan's eager kisses eventually stopped, and she climbed onto his stomach, sitting there like he was a couch cushion. "You're not going on vacation again," she declared, and then added, "Are you?"
Peter sat up and shifted her to his lap. "I might have to go away sometimes, when I can't help it. But you know I always come back, don't I?"
That was one difference between before and now. Peter's life with Morgan had been sporadic before the time travel. He'd disappeared from her life for weeks when he was on The Raft and then when he was catatonic. They'd had a brief moment together when he recovered, and then he was off with The Stones, exploring and discovering his power. The longest they'd been together was when they'd moved into the compound but, of course, Peter went away again.
However, following the time travel, thanks to it even, Peter had been a presence in Morgan's life from the day she was born. He came back every weekend to spend time with her, Tony, and Pepper. Now, Morgan could allow him to go away without fuss because she knew he would come back again.
"Yes, you do," she agreed. "But I miss you when you're gone."
Peter remembered all the time he'd spent away from her: when he was trapped in a hospital bed, when he'd taken Franklin to be deprogrammed, when he'd been watching her as an invisible witness to her early years.
"I miss you, too," he said. "So, so much, which is why I always come back as soon as I can. You know I never want to leave you?"
"Never?" Morgan asked.
Tony stroked her cheek. "Peter doesn't ever want to leave us, but sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do."
Morgan's brow furrowed. "Like when Mommy makes me do school and I can't play with Petey?"
Pepper laughed. "Exactly like that. Because school is important, and it can't always be play. And what Peter has to do is also very important."
Morgan considered then said, "I'm sorry you have to go when you don't want to. If you tell me you have to go maybe I can find a way for you to stay."
Peter's heart swelled with love for his sister. "Thanks, Mo," he said, cuddling her to his chest. "But I don't need you to do that. I will only go away if I really have to and if I really have to, I should go."
And that was the truth. He didn't ever want to be away from his family again, but he had responsibilities with The Infinity Stones. Nemesis were out there somewhere, stymied by him locking time between his Snap and the moment he brought the others home, but now they had freedom to act.
He vowed to himself that he would protect his family. When he found Nemesis, he would fight them, beat them down, and trap them again. They could not be allowed to reign free, causing all kinds of damage and harm to others. They would fight, it was decreed by fate that they must, and Peter would win.
He just needed to prepare.
That was his next step. He needed to find Carol and go away, split from time and reality, to train to fight. He would leave Bucky to watch what was happening in this time and reality, so he could come home at a moment's notice, and he could protect those that remained through his connection to Peter and therefore The Stones. Peter would only be gone an hour as far as anyone else was concerned, therefore not breaking Morgan's heart again, but an untold time would pass for him and Carol. However, he was sure she wouldn't mind doing it for him. They had grown close in their time in Wakanda while he was recovering from his skirmish with Nemesis in 2017. She was a good person, and he trusted her as much as he trusted anyone in his life.
Morgan drew his attention from his thoughts of the future by poking his chest and saying, "I'm hungry."
"Me too," Peter said. "What shall we have to eat?"
Morgan eyed her mother shrewdly and said, "Pancakes?"
Pepper laughed. "I know that face, young lady, and I'm going to allow it. Even though it's a Lucky Charms day, we're all going to have piles of pancakes to celebrate Peter and Daddy— to celebrate your brother coming home."
Peter knew what she had aborted. Though Tony had technically been gone to Pepper and Morgan for less than a day accumulated time, it had been years in truth, even though he had been with them for the past five. Peter didn't think anyone could imagine, least of all him, what it had been like for Tony to be away from Morgan for all that time.
Pepper clapped her hands and said, "Okay then. Morgan, into the bathroom so we can clean you up while Daddy makes pancakes."
"I can help cook," Peter said.
"No, you take some time to relax and clean up, too," Pepper said.
"Can we eat in the big room with everyone?" Morgan asked hopefully.
Pepper pretended to consider, though Peter knew she had already decided to agree. The additional bond of the past had transported to the here and now in more cases than just Peter's. The Avengers developed a far closer bond in the years Tony and the others repeated, and the presence of those that remained between the two Snaps had created even greater bonds between them all and those of them that remembered the Soul Plane.
"I think we can do that," Pepper said. "As long as Daddy doesn't mind."
Tony sighed heavily, and entirely falsely. "Fine, fine, I'll be a poor abused househusband and cook for everyone."
Pepper kissed his cheek. "Thank you, honey."
"Yeah," Morgan said eagerly. "Thank you, Daddy."
"Thanks, Dad," Peter added.
Tony smiled fondly, kissed Morgan's cheek and then Peter's, then headed out of the room, asking Friday to invite everyone to breakfast.
When Steve wandered into the kitchen, he found a scene of furious activity. Tony was at the stove, flipping pancakes in one skillet, Bucky was mixing batter in a huge bowl, and Sam was pouring another bowl of batter into a skillet. On the counter, being guarded by Natasha, was a piled platter of pancakes.
"Wow, look at all this," Steve said. "It's like a conveyer belt."
Tony glanced at him and said, "Peter and Morgan wanted pancakes."
"For everyone," Bucky added cheerfully.
Steve grinned. He was happy that they were all going to have breakfast together. Before—a simple word that held so much meaning these days—breakfasts were more of a buffet event with rare occasions in which Pepper, Tony, and Morgan joined them and made it everyone together.
Steve was happy to see it, as he was a little shaky after his night of turmoil. Again and again, he dreamed that Peter was there on the battlefield, the gauntlet on his arm, Pepper and Bucky holding him back, and when Peter snapped, the scream ended abruptly as he died.
But that hadn't happened. Friday had assured him each time he awoke, sweating and panting for breath, that Peter was perfectly fine, resting peacefully with his sister.
He still felt a little shaky, though, and he was eager to see Peter himself.
Bucky looked at him, eyebrow raised, and said, "Rough night?"
"Yeah," Steve sighed.
"Me too," Tony said.
"And me," Natasha added.
"And me," Bucky finished. "I was freaking a little this morning until Peter spoke to me."
"You saw him?" Steve asked.
Bucky shook his head and smiled fondly. "Here." He tapped his temple.
Steve hadn't known that connection would still be in place now they were together, or at least that they would use it, but he was pleased they were, if a little jealous. He wished he had that same sense of connection with Peter and Bucky. He quickly chided himself for the selfish thoughts. Bucky had been the one to step up and bond himself to Peter's fate to save him. And that was a part of why Peter had lived, which Steve would be eternally grateful for.
"I dreamed he died," Natasha said.
"Yeah, me too," Tony said heavily. "But he was Worthy. And me and Pep got to see Morgan's reaction to him being there when she woke up, which was something special."
Steve smiled, imagining how that would have looked. "I bet."
He wished he could have seen it, though it was right that it was a private moment for the family.
And they were a family. Pepper was now Peter's mother in a way she never could have been without the return to 2016. Though that time had brought so much pain and sadness for them all, and Peter had suffered so terribly with Nemesis' attacks, so much good had come out of it.
Steve's attention was drawn by quick but light footsteps accompanied with some that danced, and he turned to see Peter coming in with Morgan clutching his hand and swinging it back and forth as she chattered at high speed about all the things she wanted to do with him now that he was home. Peter listened and answered when she stopped for breath, all his words indulgent agreement.
"Morning, Queens," Steve said.
Peter beamed at him. "Morning."
"Petey came home!" Morgan announced, as though not convinced they understood the full meaning of the moment.
"Yes, he did," Tony said, brimming with happiness.
Peter smiled and swung Morgan up and into his arms and then planted her on a stool at the counter and said, "I'm going to help with breakfast. You stay here and don't come near the stove."
Morgan rolled her eyes, a gesture that was pure Tony, and groaned, "I know, Petey."
Peter smoothed her hair and then came to join those gathered around the stove. Sam handed him the bowl of batter and said, "Have at it, kid. I'll start the coffee."
"Okay," Peter said easily, then raised his voice and said, "Friday, can we have some music?"
"Of course, Peter. Would you like Juju On That Beat?"
Peter laughed. "Maybe something a little more to everyone's taste. Besides, if you play that, it's practically the rule I have to dance."
"On the ceiling," Bucky added.
"Yeah!" Morgan cheered. "Please, Petey, dance on the ceiling for me."
"Maybe later," Tony said before Peter could agree. "We've got loads of pancakes to make, and Peter is really good at mixing batter."
Peter snorted.
Sam started brewing a pot of coffee and Steve collected cups for them all. Wanda and Vision drifted in, and Tony put them to work setting the table. There was a good feeling in the room, heightened by Morgan clapping her hands to the AC/DC song Friday was playing.
Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey joined them just as Tony placed the huge platter of pancakes on the table. Peter greeted Happy with a smile and sat next to him at the table, Morgan on his other side.
Eating was interspersed with chatter, until plates were cleared and they all sipped coffee, except Morgan who had juice and Peter who had a smoothie Tony had made for him.
"So… plans for the day?" Tony asked expansively.
"Morgan and I have some schoolwork to do," Pepper said, and Morgan pouted. "And then the day is clear."
"Pete?" Tony asked.
Peter stretched his arms above his head and grinned as his spine crackled. "I've got the whole day free. I spoke to Carol, and—"
"You spoke to Carol?" Tony asked, brow quirked. "When?"
"Right before I locked time. She's going to swing by here as soon as she can, then we'll go and get our stuff done."
Morgan narrowed her eyes at him. "You're going away?"
"I am, but only for an hour—that's nothing, four episodes of Angelina Ballerina, that's all. You won't even have time to miss me."
"I will," she argued. "I always do.!
"Not if you're doing school with Mommy. You'll be doing all kinds of fun things while I'm doing really boring things. I'll be so bored that I'll come back to you as soon as I can."
Morgan eyed him as if judging his honesty, and then nodded. "Okay."
Pepper set down her empty coffee mug and said, "Morgan, shall we get school done so you can have the rest of the day free?"
"To play with Petey?" Morgan asked.
"We can all play," Peter said. "Me and Bruce can show you some stuff in the lab."
Bruce beamed, and Peter grinned at him.
They hadn't known how the strong connection between Peter and Hulk and the slightly less strong bond with Bruce would translate now they were one and the same. It seemed they were still bonded, though. Steve was glad they were going to spend some time together, especially with Morgan who never really had a chance before, though he felt a slight pang he might not have as much time with them.
He reminded himself he was being selfish. He was not the only one that loved Peter and that Peter loved in return. The relationships were different to before, everyone all so much closer thanks to the changes of the additional years and events they shared, and they all needed to share their time evenly. Besides, he'd hardly seen Bucky and Sam since they all came back. They'd jumped from Bruce's Snap to battle and then Peter had swept them all back to the time and place they'd left seven years before.
"Sam, Buck, do you want to head into town and get some lunch later?" he asked.
"Yeah, that'd be great," Sam said, and Bucky nodded. "We could catch a movie."
Tony scoffed. "You do realize we have a full-on cinema setup here, right?"
"No." Sam pointed a finger at him. "We've got a big-ass—" He glanced at Morgan and cleared his throat. "We have a very large TV, and you can usually finagle movies before they're on general release, but the seats aren't the same, it doesn't smell like popcorn, and we don't have Raisinets in the pantry."
"That all sounds gross," Tony said.
Pepper laughed. "Honey, just because your movie experience is a little different, thanks to you having a cinema setup at home, there's nothing like the real movie theatre."
"If you say so," Tony said with a sigh.
Morgan started to wriggle in her seat, bored with the conversation, and Pepper said, "Okay, time for me and Morgan to go to school." She rounded the table and kissed Peter's crown, Tony's cheek, and said, "Let's get going, honey. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, so you and your brother can create chaos in the lab with Bruce."
Peter waved as Morgan slid off of her chair and followed Pepper out of the room, slightly less than enthusiastically.
When they were gone, Peter picked up his smoothie and said, "What about everyone else? What are you going to do?"
"Nothing planned," Tony said. "Which actually feels really weird. We had a huge mission for so long, and then we were waiting, and now…" he waved a hand, "it's all done. We've just got to…"
"Wait," Peter sighed, and then brightened. "But nothing is going to happen yet. Nemesisfailed in their last plan, obviously, so they need to go back to plotting. Besides, me and The Stones are on watch, and when I'm not here, Bucky will be."
Steve looked up. "Bucky will be on watch?"
Bucky grimaced. "Me and Pete talked about this a lot, before, when we were in the Soul Plane. Basically, The Stones can use me to do their thing. I can't do anything with them, obviously, they're Pete's, but they can basically use me as a… tool."
"So, you're all perfectly safe," Peter said. "As long as one of us is on Earth, I have an instant connection to what's happening and a way to use them until I get here."
"How exactly will he use them?" Tony asked warily.
"Nothing crazy," Peter said. "He can just… shield you?" He tilted his head to the side, listening. "Yeah, shield you."
"Sounds good," Tony said. "Now, Pete, what are you doing until Maguna gets out of the schoolroom?"
"I'm going to clean up the dishes then I think I'll give Shuri a call. I want to know if things worked out for her the way they did for Bucky, Sam, Wanda, and Vision. It could be that they were under my protection when they came back, that's why they remembered everything from the Soul Plane when no one did before. If not, well, we spent enough time together in Wakanda when I was healing, so we're not starting from scratch."
"Actually, Peter, I think your guests might be on their way," Friday said. "I just received a message which I am sure pertains to you."
Peter frowned. "You did?"
"Yes, a message came though from a Wakanda which said, and I quote, 'Get your ass out of bed and prepare to party, Spider-Boy. We'll be there tomorrow'."
"Awesome," Peter cheered and dashed out of the room.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Soul Plane residents, how chaotic is this going to be?"
Sam and Bucky exchanged a wry glance, and Wanda and Vision laughed.
"Think of chaos on a scale of one to ten," Sam said, and Tony nodded. "Now think of a ten on the scale, then multiply it by fifty and you'll have a rough idea of what's coming."
Steve expected Tony to groan, to lament the fact he'd have less time with his son, too, but he shook his head, a wide smile on his face, and said, "That sounds like fun."
"It will be," Bucky said knowingly.
"Yep," Wanda agreed.
Steve smiled. He didn't know Shuri well, though he did spend a lot of time with T'Challa over the extra years while dealing with The Accords, but he was looking forward to seeing them together.
If Peter cared about Shuri, Steve was sure they all would.
So… A little fluffy stuff for us to begin with. This reunion was a long time coming for me.
Until next time…
Jadey xxx